Model Comparison
Claude Sonnet 4.6 vs GPT-4o
Claude Sonnet 4.6: HeavyGPT-4o: Ultra-efficient
Side-by-side environmental impact comparison. Claude Sonnet 4.6 uses 7.0x more energy per query.
Claude Sonnet 4.6 uses 7.0x more energy than GPT-4o
3.0 Wh vs 0.43 Wh per query · 1.1 g vs 0.19 g CO₂ · 6 mL vs 2 mL water
Claude Sonnet 4.6
Anthropic
Energy per query3.0 Wh
CO₂ per query1.1 g
Water per query6 mL
VS
GPT-4o
OpenAI
Energy per query0.43 Wh
CO₂ per query0.19 g
Water per query2 mL
Claude Sonnet 4.6
ProviderAnthropic
CategoryText / Chat
Inference LocationAWS / GCP
Confidenceestimated
Efficiency TierHeavy
GPT-4o
ProviderOpenAI
CategoryText / Chat
Inference LocationAzure US East / Sweden
Confidencepeer-reviewed
Efficiency TierUltra-efficient
Frequently Asked Questions
Which uses more energy, Claude Sonnet 4.6 or GPT-4o?
Claude Sonnet 4.6 uses 7.0x more energy per query than GPT-4o. Claude Sonnet 4.6 uses 3.0 Wh per query, while GPT-4o uses 0.43 Wh.
What is the carbon footprint difference between Claude Sonnet 4.6 and GPT-4o?
Claude Sonnet 4.6 uses 5.5x more CO₂ per query than GPT-4o. Claude Sonnet 4.6 emits 1.1 g of CO₂ per query compared to GPT-4o's 0.19 g.
Which is more environmentally friendly, Claude Sonnet 4.6 or GPT-4o?
GPT-4o is the more environmentally friendly option, using 0.43 Wh per query compared to Claude Sonnet 4.6's 3.0 Wh. That makes Claude Sonnet 4.6 roughly 7.0x more energy-intensive.
Calculate your footprint with these models
See how your daily usage of Claude Sonnet 4.6 and GPT-4o adds up over time. Our calculator estimates energy, carbon, and water impact.
Calculate My Compute